Statement regarding Vocation Group

There has been a range of media comment regarding the Vocation group, including from current and former officers of the company, which has gone to the interaction of the registered training organisations (RTOs) within the group with VET regulators. In order to provide clarity regarding the interactions with Vocation group RTOs and the National VET Regulator, Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the following information is provided:

• ASQA has regulatory responsibility for VET providers under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 and certain providers of CRICOS courses under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.
• In general terms, ASQA regulates RTOs which operate in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory. Regulation of RTOs operating within Victoria and Western Australia may be the responsibility of ASQA or the relevant state VET regulator depending on whether the RTO operates solely within that state or is offering CRICOS courses to international students.
• Vocation is not of itself a RTO.
• The Vocation group is the owner of a number of RTOs, of which :
  • 10 were or are regulated by ASQA;
  • One, BAWM Pty Ltd, is regulated by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
• Of the 10 Vocation group RTOs which are or were regulated by ASQA:
  • Three RTOs voluntarily withdrew their registration, unrelated to any interaction with ASQA beyond the actual processing of the withdrawal of registration application;
  • One RTO, Aspin Pty Ltd, during regulatory activity being undertaken by ASQA made an application to withdraw its registration as a RTO. This application has been agreed by ASQA, subject to conditions to permit the orderly transition of students and will take effect on 31 January 2015. No further students are permitted to enrol in courses offered by Aspin.
• Commencing in October 2014, ASQA began implementing the first phase of the delegation of authority to certain RTOs to amend their scope of registration. One Vocation group RTO, Learning Verve, was invited to give an expression of interest to be granted a delegation. An expression of interest is subject to further due diligence checking prior to the granting of any delegation. As this process is not yet completed, Learning Verve has not been granted a delegation by ASQA.
• ASQA is monitoring the remaining Vocation group RTOs. No regulatory decisions have been taken in relation to these RTOs.